Process and apparatus for drawing deformable stock



J. PFEIFFER Aug. 4, 1964 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING DEFORMABLE swocx Filed Nov. 21. 1960 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I w. Arron/5y PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING DEFORMABLE STOCK Filed Nov. 21, 1960 v J. PFEIFFER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENl'OP: J'OA C HIM PF/Ff..

A1, ATTOENE) J. PFEIFFER Aug. 4, 1964 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWING DEFORMABLE STOCK v Filed NOV. 21, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a 0 3 a w "0 F M w 3 l/wewroxa JOACH/M Frill-P5,?

United States Patent 3,143,069 PRGCES AND APPARATUS FOR DRAWHNG DEFQRMABLE STUCK Joachim Pfeifler, Plettenberg-Ohle, Westphalia, Germany Filed Nov. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 70,631 Claims priority, application Germany Nov. 26, 1959 20 Claims. (CI. 8018) The present invention relates to the manufacture of shaped articles by the drawing process, and more particularly to a process and apparatus for drawing bars, rods, strips, rails and like shaped metallic or non-metallic articles in a preferably continuous operation.

It is already known to produce shaped articles in socalled reversing mills arranged between a braking drum and a tensioning drum which latter coils the product emerging at the downstream side of the reversing mill. In such mills, use is made of the fact that tensile stresses exerted upon the ductile material being rolled at the upstream and downstream sides of the rolling gap will reduce the resistance to deformation. As a rule, the work rolls of the reversing mill are driven at a speed lower than the speed at which the material leaves the gap. A serious drawback of such mills is that the desired reduction in thickness cannot always be obtained in a single pass, i.e. that the stock must be reversed by passing twice or even more often through the mill or that the stock must pass through a mill which comprises two or more stands.

It is also known to obtain substantial reductions in the cross-sectional area of metallic stock in a single pass by advancing the stock through planetary or semi-planetary rolling mills. However, such mills wherein the planetary work rolls travel in a circular path about an axis which is distant from their axis of self rotation are rather expensive and, moreover, the quality of the shaped articles produced therein is not always satisfactory. The deforming process taking place in the material of the stock is unfavorable because the material being rolled is pushed into the gap under the action of a compressive force acting at the upstream side of the gap in the direction of stock advance and a smoothing rolling mill must be provided at the downstream side of the gap to reduce the irregularities in the surface of the shaped article.

In accordance with a further prior proposal in connection with the production of shaped articles which are profiled in the longitudinal direction thereof, the operation is carried out intermittently by utilizing a planetary deforming apparatus wherein a fixed tool on a planetary roller engages and deforms only a given section of the stock whereupon the stock is advanced and again stopped berore the following planetary tool engages another given section thereof. Such process is not suited for continuous operation and cannot bring about substantial reduction in the cross sectional area of the stock.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a process for the drawing of elongated deformable metallic or non-metallic stock according to which the cross sectional area of the stock may be considerably reduced in a single pass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process of the just outlined characteristics according to which the reduction in the cross sectional area of the ductile stock is accompanied by simultaneous improvement in the texture and gauge of the processed material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process of the above outlined type according to which the shaped articles obtained from elongated metallic or nonmetallic stock may be formed with more or less complicated profiles simultaneously with a substantial reduction in the cross sectional area thereof.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the practice of my process.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for drawing elongated metallic or non-metallic stock which is equally useful for the processing of hot or cold stock.

A concomitant object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the just outlined characteristics which is constructed and assembled in such a way that the exact cross sectional area of the shaped articles may be changed as desired and wherein the texture, gauge and strength characteristics of processed material may be improved simultanenously with a substantial reduction in cross sectional area of the stock.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a mill for the production of shaped articles from elongate metallic or non-metallic stock which comprises a small number of component parts, which is capable of producing shaped articles requiring little or no secondary treatment, wherein the component parts may be readily exchanged, replaced or adjusted, if desired, and which is capable of processing stock of widely different shape and design.

With the above objects in View, the invention resides in the provision of a process which comprises the steps of advancing elongated stock consisting of a ductile metallic or non-metallic material through at least one drawing gap and simultaneously subjecting the stock to the action of two differently oriented forces one of which brings about a reduction in cross sectional area of the stock and the other of which brings about a shifting of selected zones of processed material with respect to the remainder of the stock. According to another feature of my invention, the stock advancing through the drawing gap is under initial tension acting in a direction of advance through the gap so that the gauge and flatness of the shaped article are improved and that the shaped article has a texture of high finish.

The improved apparatus for the practice of my process comprises means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path, means adjacent to said path and comprising at least two members defining therebetween a drawing gap for the stock, and means for driving at least one member of the gap-defining means at a speed higher than the speed at which the stock leaves the gap. At least one rotary member of the gap-defining means assumes the form of a work roll whose periphery is at least partially formed with a plurality of preferably uniformly spaced projections having rounded contact faces which are inclined with respect to the direction of stock ad- Vance through the gap and which successively engage spaced zones of the stock. Owing to the greater peripheral speed of the roll, the projections cause a shifting of the metallic material with respect to the remainder of the stock in a direction toward the downstream side of the gap. Thus, the contact faces of the rotary work roll subject the stock to a compressing force which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of advance and which causes a reduction in the cross sectional area of the stock, and to a second force which is substantially parallel with the direction of stock advance and which brings about the aforementioned shifting of material by moving selected Zones of the material at a speed which is greater than the speed at which the remainder of the material moves through the gap. Thus, the important feature of my apparatus resides in the provision of at least one Work roll whose periphery partially bounds the drawing gap and which is not free to rotate at the exact speed of the stock because it is always driven at a peripheral speed which is higher than the forward speed of the treated stock. Furthermore, at least a portion of the periphery of the work roll is provided with the aforementioned projections which simultaneously subject the material in the gap to a frictional and to a drawing force.'

Patented Aug. 4., 1964 The action of such work tools is diiferent from the action of rolls in planetary or semiplanetary rolling mills which mainly roll over and compress the material after it has been pushed into the rolling gap. In other words, the projections of the work rolls forming part of my improved apparatus actually overtake the material in a sliding action as the latter advances through the drawing gap.

The means for subjecting the stock to an initial tension and for moving the stock in a predetermined path comprises one or more stripping devices at the downstream side of the drawing gap, and one or more suitable braking devices at the upstream side of the gap.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic partly elevational and partly I sectional view of an apparatus embodying one form of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view of the assembly which defines the drawing gap in the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevational view of a modified apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an end view of a work roll which forms part of the gap-defining assembly;

FIG. 5a is an end view of a modified gap-defining assembly; and

FIG. 5b is an end view of an additional gap-defining assembly.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, there is shown a drawing apparatus I which is utilized for continuously transforming elongated metallic or non-metallic stock 3a into a shaped article 3b. The arrows A indicate the direction in which the stock and the finished product are advanced by means including two sets of pairwise arranged stripping rollers 7 which are driven in directions indicated by the arrows B, the stripping rollers being located adjacent to the path of the shaped article 3b at the downstream side of a drawing gap G defined by two members 5, 6 whose construction, mounting and relationship will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The elongated stock 3a at the upstream side of the gap G is subjected to the retarding action of brakes 4 whose braking elements 4a are reciprocable in directions indicated by the double arrows C so as to counteract the force exerted by the stripping rollers 7 and to thereby subject the stock to lengthwise tension acting in the direction of the arrows A. The construction of the brakes 4 by itself forms no part of my invention. The operation of these brakes is similar to the operation of so-called grip gears and it will be noted that their braking elements 411 are adapted to follow to a certain extent the movement of the stock 3a in the direction of the arrows A.

The members 5, 6 which constitute a gap-defining assembly are shown in greater detail in FIG. 2. The lower member 6 assumes the shape of a fixed anvil having a fiat upper face 6a which bounds a portion of the drawing gap G and is adjacent to the path of the stock 3a as the latter advances through this gap. The upper member 5 assumes the form of a work roll which is driven by an arrangement including a coaxial drive shaft 5b so that it rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow D. The peripheral speed of the work roll 5 is greater than the speed at which the stripping rollers 7 advance the shaped article 3b in the direction of the arrow A, i.e. there is a relative movement in the gap G between the stock 3a and the periphery of the work roll 5. The periphery of the work roll is formed with a plurality of elongated projections So each of which is inclined with respect to the direction in which the stock advances through the gap G; in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the longitudinal extensions (i.e., the contact faces 50) of the projections 5a are assumed to extend at right angles with respect to the direction indicated by the arrows A. As shown, each contact face So is rounded, and the projections are preferably (but not necessarily) spaced at equal intervals from each other, i.e. they resemble axially parallel ribs or the teeth of a spur gear.

The apparatus I of FIGS. 1 and 2 operates as follows:

The stock 30 overcomes the retarding force of the brakes 4 owing partly to the tensioning force exerted on the shaped article 312 by the stripping rollers 7, and is continuously drawn at a given speed through the gap G, i.e. into the space bounded by the flat face 6a of the anvil 6 and by the rounded contact faces 50 of the projections 5a on the work roll 5. As stated hereinabove, the speed of the stock 3b in the direction of the arrows A is less than the peripheral speed of the work roll 5 in the direction of the arrow D. As it passes through the gap G, the material of the stock 3a is subjected to deformation in that the projections 5a of the Work roll 5 grip spaced zones X of the material at the upper side of the stock and overtake the stock 3a so that the zones X are pushed toward the face 6a of the anvil 6 and are simultaneously shifted with respect to the remainder of the material in a direction substantially parallel with the direction indicated by the arrows A. In other words, the engagement between the projections 5a and the upper side of the stock 3a in the gap G is not only frictional but also of such nature that the projections 5a actually penetrate into the material of the stock and consecutively shift equally spaced zones X with respect to the mass of material advancing along the fiat anvil face 6a. The shaped article emerging at the downstream side of the gap G assumes the form of a flat strip 3b whose cross sectional area is reduced but whose length is increased accordingly; this strip is then advanced between the rollers 7 of the stripping device which, as mentioned hereinabove, must overcome at least part of the retarding action of the brakes 4 in order to subject the stock 311 to a longitudinal tensioning force and to advance the stock through the drawing gap. In other words, the rollers 7 exert a tensile stress upon the metallic material.

In FIG. 2, the reference character L denotes the length of the gap G which extends between a point where a projection 5a most distant from the anvil 6 comes into initial Contact with the adjacent side of the stock 3a and a point Where each projection 5a reaches a position of closest proximity to the face 6a. As the stock continues its advance in the direction of the arrows A and as the work roll 5 simultaneously advances at a higher speed in the direction of the arrow D, the accumulations or zones X of say metallic material engaged by the contact faces 50 of the successive projections 5a become progressively smaller and are actually kneaded or embedded into the main mass of the stock in the gap G. At the same time, the stripping rollers 7 exert a tensile stress upon the material so that the stock 3a passing through the gap G is simultaneously subjected to three forces one of which tensions it in the direction of the arrows A, the other of which compresses it in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of advance through the gap, and the third of which shifts or kneads the accumulations or zones X by causing a relative movement between these zones and the remainder of the material in the drawing gap. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the shaped article emerging at the discharge end of the gap G, i.e. between the lowermost point of the projection 5;, (FIG. 2) and the adjacent portion of the anvil face 6a, assumes the form of a flat strip because the face 6a is flat and because the crests of projections 50 are assumed to extend along straight lines which are perpendicular to the plane of FIGS. 1 and 2. The length L, of the gap G depends on the minimum distance between projection 5 and the flat face 6a, on the diameter of the work roll 5, and on the dimensions of the stock 3a.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a modified apparatus II which is utilized for the drawing of a shaped article 1031) adapted to be coiled onto a takeup roller 107, the latter simultaneously serving as a means for stretching or tensioning the stock 103a and for advancing the stock at a given speed. At the upstream side of the drawing gap, the stock 103a passes through a modified braking device 104 consisting of several rollers which define a meandering path for the elongated stock 103a. The curved guide or anvil 106 is dish-shaped by being formed with a concave, substantially semi-cylindrical face 106a which forms the boundary of the gap G at one side of the path for the stock 103a. It will be noted that the axis of the driving shaft 10512 for the work roll 105 is eccentric with respect to the center of curvature of the anvil face 106a so that the cross sectional area of the gap G decreases progressively from its upstream side to its downstream side where the stock 103a emerges as a shaped article 1031) which thereupon passes over a deflecting roller 107a and is convoluted on the takeup or coiling roller 107. Owing to the just described configuration of the anvil face 106a and owing to the eccentric mounting of the work roll 105, the length L of the gap G shown in FIG. 3 is greater than the length L of the gap G even though the diameter of the roll 105 need not be increased.

The width of the gap G may be adjusted by a threaded spindle 108 which passes through the tapped bore of a laterally extending lug 10612 forming part of the anvil 106, and the latter is formed with an inclined cam surface 106a which is in sliding contact with the similarly inclined surface 109a of a stationary support 109. The free lower end of the spindle bears against a wedge 110 which is slidably received between a vertical surface 106d of the anvil 106 and an upwardly inclined surface 1091; of the support 109. When the spindle 108 is rotated by the hand wheel 111 to move the wedge 110 in one of the directions indicated by the double arrow F, the anvil 106 will slide in one of the directions indicated by the double arrow E in order to narrow or to widen the gap G, depending on the desired cross sectional area of the shaped article 1031). Thus, when the spindle 108 is rotated in a direction to move the wedge 110 downwardly, as viewed in FIG. 3, the anvil 106 will move to the left to thereby reduce the cross sectional area of the discharge end of the gap G.

The configuration of the projections 105a on the periphery of the work roll 105 is the same as the configuration of projections 5a on the work roll 5 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a work roll 205 whose projections are arranged in a herringbone pattern, i.e. each projection consists of two mutually inclined substantially diagonal portions 205a, 205a meeting in the central symmetry plane of the roll 205 which is perpendicular to the axis of the drive shaft 205b. Such construction of the work roll 205 renders it possible to bring about a change in the width of the stock 203a in addition to a reduction in the cross sectional area. If the stock 203a is advanced in a direction to the right, the width of the shaped article 2039b will increase; however, if the stock 203a is advanced to the left, the width of the final product 203i) will be less. The length of the drawing gap L equals the length of that portion of the stock which forms a transition between the narrower strip 20311 and the wider strip 20317. It will be seen that, quite surprisingly, the adjustable gapdefining assembly of FIG. 4 not only insures a substantial reduction in the cross sectional area of the final product but is capable of simultaneously changing the width of the processed stock, either in a sense to obtain a product of greater width than the width of the starting material or vice versa. This is due to the provision of diagonal projections which may but need not necessarily form a herringbone pattern. Such diagonal projections which enclose an acute angle with the direction of stock advance will bring about a spreading of the material in a direction transverse to the direction of stock advance through the drawing gap. By controlling the inclination of the projections 205a and/or 2050, one may change the width of the shaped article to a desired extent.

As is known, the action of a customary rolling mill does not widen the stock because most of the change results in increasing its length. Also, metal worked in a single direction acquires transverse weakness, whereas the arrangement of FIG. 4 insures that the processed material is simultaneously worked in several directions.

FIG. 5a illustrates an assembly which defines a modified drawing gap for the elongated metallic stock 303a. The grooved work roll 305 comprises two outer sections 305L, 305R and a central section 305C therebetween. The sections 305L, 305R are respectively provided with diagonally inclined peripheral teeth 305a 305a, and the central section 305C is formed with an annular concave contact face 305a" so that one side of the path for the stock 303a in the drawing gap is bounded by the contact faces of the teeth or projections 305a, 305a, and by the concave contact face 305a", i.e. the contact face 305a" defines a grove or recess which forms part of the drawing gap so that the upper side of the finished product 3031: is formed with a complementary convex rib as it emerges at the downstream side of the gap.

The lower side of the drawing gap is bounded by the face 306a of a fixed anvil 306, and the latter is formed with a rib 306' which extends in parallelism with the direction of stock advance through the gap so that the underside of the final product 3032b is formed with a complementary recess 303b'. As in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the work roll 305 is adapted to increase or to reduce the width of the final product 303b, depending upon whether its drive shaft 30317 is rotated in clockwise or anticlockwise direction and also whether the stock 303a is advanced in a direction toward or away from an observer of FIG. 5a. It will be noted that the number of projections 305a may differ from the number of projections 305a, and it will be readily understood that the profile of the final product 305b may be changed by utilizing a work roll Whose contact face 305a" is provided With one or more ribs and/ or recesses.

FIG. 5b illustrates a further modification of my apparatus which constitutes a so-called bar mill and which utilizes an anvil in the form of an idler roller 406, this roller being formed with an annular concave peripheral face 406a so that the underside of the shaped article 403b assumes a complementary convex shape. As is shown in broken lines, the elongated stock 403a entering at a given speed the drawing gap defined by the anvil 406 and by two work rolls 405A, 405B is of cylindrical shape and, after passing through this gap, is continuously transformed into a product of sector-shaped cross sectional contour one fiat surface of which is formed with a longitudinal recess 403]) because the periphery of the work roll 405A carries an annular rib 405A. Each of the work rolls 405A, 4053 is formed with equally dimensioned and equally spaced projections 405a which are perpendicular to the direction of stock advance through the drawing gap, and each of these rolls is driven by its own shaft 40522 at a peripheral speed which is higher than the speed of the stock 403a. The rotary movements of the shafts 4051) are synchronized and the diameters of the work rolls 405A, 4053 are preferably identical so that a projection of the roll 405A comes into contact with the stock 403a simultaneously with the contact between the stock and a projection of the other roll 405B. Of course, the mutual inclination of the rolls 405A, 405B may be changed as desired and depends on the desired profile of the article 40311.

It will be readily understood that the radii of the contact faces on the projections of the work rolls must be selected by full consideration of the desired reduction in cross sectional area of the product and of the material of which the stock consists. Also, the selection of proper lubricants is of great importance in the practice of my process in order to insure that the process may be carried out on a continuous basis. Since the entire apparatus is of relatively simple design, the manufacturing costs per ton of finished product are reduced well below the costs of products obtainable in presently known drawing apparatus.

The novel process and the apparatus for its practice are not limited to the cold forming of elongated ductile metallic stock since it will be readily understood that certain non-metallic materials e.g. pvc-plastics, metal-plasticcombinations or any other ductile and deformable stock, may be processed in the same way. Furthermore, it is equally possible to utilize the apparatus in the hot forming of stock, i.e. as a hot mill, and to modify the apparatus by utilizing work rolls whose periphery is not necessarily concentric with their axis of rotation or whose periphery is not a perfect circle, i.e. to vary the width of the drawing gap during each revolution of the work roll.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt is for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended it be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

' What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A process for drawing deformable elongated stock which comprises the steps of advancing the stock through a drawing gap of diminishing cross-sectional area; subjecting the stock to the action of a succession of compressing forces acting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of stock advance through the gap so that the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced by simultaneous lengthening of the stock at the downstream side of the gap; and simultaneously subjecting the stock to a succession of forces acting in the same direction in which the stock advances through the gap for shifting spaced zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in a direction toward the downstream side of said gap so that said first mentioned forces may compress the shifted zones into the remainder of the stock in said gap.

2. A process for drawing deformable elongated stock which comprises the steps of advancing the stock through at least one drawing gap of diminishing cross-sectional area; subjecting the stock at the upstream side and the downstream side of the gap to tensile stresses acting in directions parallel with the direction in which the stock advances through the gap; subjecting the stock to the action of a succession of compressing forces acting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of stock advance through the gap so that the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced by simultaneous lengthening of the stock at the downstream side of the gap; and simultaneously subjecting the stock to a succession of forces acting in the same direction in which the stock advances through the gap for shifting spaced zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in a direction toward the downa stream side of said gap so that said first mentioned forces may compress the shifted zones into the remainder of the stock in said gap.

3. A process for drawing deformable elongated stock which comprises the steps of continuously advancing the stock through a drawing gap of diminishing cross-sectional area; subjecting the stock to the action of a succession of continuously increasing compressing forces acting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of stock advance through the gap so that the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced by simultaneous lengthening of the stock at the downstream side of the gap; and simultaneously subjecting the stock to the action of succession of a forces acting in the same direction in which the stock advances through the gap for successively shifting spaced zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in a direction toward the downstream side of said gap so that said first mentioned forces may compress the shifted zones into the remainder of the stock in said gap.

4. A process for drawing deformable elongated stock which comprises the steps of advancing the stock through a drawing gap of diminishing cross-sectional area; subjecting the stock to the action of a succession of compressing forces acting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of stock advance through the gap so that the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced by simultaneous lengthening of the stock at the downstream side of the gap; and simultaneously subjecting the stock to a succession of forces acting in the same direction in which the stock advances through the gap for successively shifting equally spaced zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in a direction toward the downstream side of the gap so that said first mentioned forces may compress the shifted zones into the remainder of the stock in said gap.

5. A process for drawing deformable elongated stock which comprises the steps of advancing the stock through a drawing gap of diminishing cross-sectional area; subjecting the stock in the gap to the action of a rapid succession of compressing forces which are staggered in the longitudinal direction of the gap and which act in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of stock advance through the gap so that the cross-sectional area of the stock is reduced by simultaneous lengthening of the stock at the downstream side of the gap; and simultaneously subjecting the stock in the gap to a rapid succession of forces acting in the same direction in which the stock advances through the gap for shifting spaced zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in a direction toward the downstream side of the gap so that said first mentioned forces may compress the thus shifted zones of the stock in said gap.

6. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path; and means for rotating said roll at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

7. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for continuously advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the crosssectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of uniformly spaced elongated peripheral projections disposed at right angles to the direction of stock advance in said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a constant peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

8. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path, each of said projections having at least one rounded contact face; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said contact faces successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

9. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding said gap at one side of said path so that the cross-sectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path, and a fixed anvil having a face bounding said gap at the other side of said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap and said projections simultaneously compress the stock in a direction toward the face of said anvil whereby the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced and the length of stock is increased at the downstream side of said gap.

10. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding said gap at one side of said path so that the cross-sectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path, and a fixed anvil having a flat face bounding said gap at the other side of said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speui higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap and said projections simultaneously compress the stock in a direction toward the face of said anvil whereby the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced and the length of stock is increased at the downstream side of said gap.

11. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding said gap at one side of said path so that the cross-sectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path, and a fixed anvil having a concave face bounding said gap at the other side of said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap and said projections simultaneously compress the stock in a direction toward the face of said anvil whereby the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced and the length of stock is increased at the downstream side of said gap.

12. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding said gap at one side of said path so that the cross-sectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path, and a fixed anvil having a convex face bounding said gap at the other side of said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected Zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap and said projections simultaneously compress the stock in a direction toward the face of said anvil whereby the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced and the length of stock is increased at the downstream side of said gap.

13. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding said gap at one side of said path so that the cross-sectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path, and an anvil comprising a roller having a peripheral face bounding said gap at the other side of said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap and said projections simultaneously compress the stock in a direction toward the face of said anvil whereby the cross sectional area of the stock is reduced and the length of stock is increased at the downstream side of said gap.

14. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means disposed adjacent to said path and defining a drawing gap for the stock, said last mentioned means comprising at least one rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of the gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from the gap increases, at least a portion of said periphery being formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections arranged in herringbone pattern and each inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

15. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means comprising a plurality of members adjacent to said path and defining between themselves a drawing gap for the stock, at least one of said members consisting of a rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of said gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock passes through and is discharged from said gap increases, said one work roll formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

16, An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means comprising a plurality of members adjacent to said path and defining between themselves a drawing gap for the stock, at least one of said members consisting of a rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of said gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock passes through and is discharged from said gap increases, said one work roll formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections incline-d with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path, at least one of said members formed with at least one recess forming part of said gap so that the portion of stock passing through said recess forms a complementary rib on the shaped article discharged at the downstream side of said gap; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respecteto the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

17. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means comprising a plurality of members adjacent to said path and defining between themselves a drawing gap for the stock, at least one of said members consisting of a rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of said gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock passes through and is discharged from said gap increases, said one work roll formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path and at least one of said members having at least one rib projecting into said gap so that the shaped article discharged at the downstream side of said gap is formed with a complementary recess owin to its deformation by said rib; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at wldch the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

18. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means comprising a plurality of members adjacent to said path and defining between themselves a drawing gap for the stock, at least one of said members consisting of a rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of said gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock passes through and is discharged from said gap increases, said one work roll formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections enclosing an acute angle with the direction of stock advance in said path; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gapwhereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

19. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means comprising a stripping device for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means comprising a plurality of members adjacent to said path and defining between themselves a drawing gap for the stock, at least one of said members consisting of a rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of said gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes vance in said path; means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap; and braking means provided at the upstream side of said gap for retarding the stock against the action of said stripping device and work roll whereby the stock is subjected to tension while advancing through said gap.

20. An apparatus for drawing deformable elongated stock, said apparatus comprising, in combination, means for advancing the stock in a predetermined path; means comprising a plurality of members adjacent to said path and defining between themselves a drawing gap for the stock, at least one of said members consisting of a rotary work roll having a periphery bounding a portion of said gap so that the cross-sectional area of said gap diminishes and the cross-sectional area of the stock passing through said gap also diminishes but the speed at which the stock passes through and is discharged from said gap increases, said one work roll formed with a plurality of elongated peripheral projections inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance in said path, and at least one of said members consisting of an idler roller having an annular face bounding another portion of said gap; and means for rotating said roll about an axis which is inclined with respect to the direction of stock advance through said gap and at a peripheral speed higher than the speed at Which the stock moves through and is discharged from said gap whereby said projections successively engage and shift selected zones of the stock with respect to the remainder of the stock in the same direction in which the stock advances through said gap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 371,424 Clifiord et a1. Oct. 11, 1887 566,701 Rowley Aug. 25, 1896 631,851 Keithley Aug. 29, 1899 669,773 Perry Mar. 12, 1901 1,044,113 Windecker Nov. 12, 1912 1,533,026 Murphy Apr. 7, 1925 1,934,844 Diescher Nov. 14, 1933 2,087,831 Anderson July 10, 1937 2,194,212 Sendzimer Mar. 19, 1940 2,221,417 Taylor Nov. 12, 1940 2,279,349 Simons Apr. 14, 42 

1. A PROCESS FOR DRAWING DEFORMABLE ELONGATED STOCK WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF ADVANCING THE STOCK THROUGH A DRAWING GAP OF DIMINISHING CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA; SUBJECTING THE STOCK TO THE ACTION OF A SUCCESSION OF COMPRESSING FORCES ACTING IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION OF STOCK ADVANCE THROUGH THE GAP SO THAT THE CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OF THE STOCK IS REDUCED BY SIMULTANEOUS LENGTHENING OF THE STOCK AT THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF THE GAP; AND SIMULTANEOUSLY SUBJECTING THE STOCK TO A SUCCESSION OF FORCES ACTING IN THE SAME DIRECTION IN WHICH THE STOCK ADVANCES THROUGH THE GAP FOR SHIFTING SPACED ZONES OF THE STOCK WITH RESPECT TO THE REMAINDER OF THE STOCK IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF SAID GAP SO THAT SAID FIRST MENTIONED FORCES MAY COMPRESS THE SHIFTED ZONES INTO THE REMAINDER OF THE STOCK IN SAID GAP. 